


Unrequited Love Brings People Closer

by Badassium1970



Category: Asagao Academy: Normal Boots Club, Hidden Block (Video Blogging RPF)
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Friendship, Gen, Unrequited Love, platonic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-23
Updated: 2018-03-23
Packaged: 2019-04-07 00:28:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,902
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14068935
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Badassium1970/pseuds/Badassium1970
Summary: Mai has feelings for both Hana and Jared but knows they don't share her feelings and never will. Ian knows what it's like to love someone you can't be with and comforts her.





	Unrequited Love Brings People Closer

Mai couldn’t stand to be around anyone at the moment. She was heartbroken and being around Hana and all of the Normal Boots guys just continued to remind her of her heartache.

It felt wrong to feel so hurt. She should have seen it coming.

Mai should have known that Hana was straight.

She should have known Hana would fall for Jared, and Jared would share those feelings.

When Hana and Jared went to the flower festival she should have known that was only the beginning.

She should have known that she was going to get hurt.

Known that she would lose both of the people she had feelings for to each other.

Maybe if she had told them before…

No Hana still wouldn’t be interested and Jared was creeped out by her. Plus, he was the object of most girl’s affections. Jared could do better. He already was, with Hana.

Mai continued to sob. She’d skipped out on lunch just so she could be alone.

Hana didn’t even seem to care. Didn’t question when Mai made up some lame excuse about needing to go back to the dorm, or whatever she had said. Hana was too busy thinking about Jared.

They probably didn’t miss her anyway. It was clear that all the boys only liked Hana, and that was the only reason they let her sit with them as well.

Everything hurt so much.

She didn’t think anything could hurt worse than last year when Mimi had humiliated her for being bisexual and spread all kinds of horrid rumours about her, but somehow this did.

For the first time in a while, things were going well for her and she felt cared about, but it was all a lie. The Normal Boots club didn’t care about her, and maybe as Hana became closer with them, she wouldn’t either.

Mai wiped her tears, only for new ones to stream down her face. She was glad that she was alone, sitting under the tree enough away from the school building that most people didn’t bother to walk up to it. Going to the dorm seemed like a bad idea in case Hana came looking for her. She knew hiding was childish, but her broken heart couldn’t stand seeing her old and new crush together acting all lovey-dovey.

Lost in her thoughts, crying so hard, Mai jumped when someone approached her.

“Hey.”

Mai looked up to see the one and only BrutalMoose, more commonly known as Ian. He looked concerned for her, and while Mai told herself she wanted to be alone it was a lie. She didn’t know Ian that well and remember that she had been a little insulting towards him before, but the fact that he seemed to care about her made Mai think twice about her judgement.

“Oh, uh, hi?” Mai wiped her eyes and looked up at Ian in confusion.

“Is it okay if I…?” Ian gestured to the ground. He didn’t want to leave Mai on her own, but he didn’t want to impose on her.

“Yeah, sure,” Mai sniffed, bring her knees to her chest so she could rest her head on them. She watched as Ian sat next to her. He seemed a little awkward in his movements, obviously unsure of what to do.

“Is-uh is this about Jared, y’know, being with Hana,” Ian questioned, straight to the point. Mai had noticed Ian was like that. It was an admirable trait, and she was glad that he didn’t try and make small talk instead.

“Yeah, I guess. It’s, I dunno, it’s complicated.” Mai shrugged, not meaning to come across as dismissive but she couldn’t find it in herself to muster the same enthusiasm she usually had.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Ian didn’t want to pry, but he knew that Mai needed a friend right now, and while she was a nice person, maybe a little loud and obsessive but still harmless, he had noticed that she, for some reason, didn’t seem to have many friends.

“I just…” Mai could feel her eyes stinging with tears again. Her voice was caught in the back of her throat but she fought through it, needing to open up to someone.

“I want to be happy for them but I can’t. I… It’s so stupid… but I thought-I thought she could love me.” Mai sobbed loudly into her hands, unable to stop herself.

While comforting people wasn’t Ian’s strong suit, he understood how Mai felt and did his best, wrapping his arm around her, rubbing her back as she sobbed.

“It’s not stupid,” Ian told her, his voice soft and soothing.

“I ju-just feel so-so s-selfish,” Mai continued through her sobs, her words coming out broken but Ian could make out what she was saying.

“I know, but you’re not. You can’t help your feelings,” Ian sighed, and Mai noticed how sad Ian sounded. Wiping her eyes again, she calmed herself down enough to be able to have a coherent conversation with him.

“You um, speaking from experience?” Mai wasn’t trying to pry. Ian was being so kind to her and if he wanted to talk about anything that was on his mind she would happily listen and maybe together they could work out their issues, or at least support each other.

Ian thought this as well, and while he never imagined telling anyone about this, there was something about Mai that he trusted. Maybe he had just kept this to himself for so long that he needed to tell someone, and why not someone why was also heartbroken? Someone who would understand him and his feelings.

“Caddy,” Ian whispered; voice weak as if he was afraid to speak his crushes name.

Mai was surprised to hear that Ian had feelings for Caddy considering the way that they spoke to each other, but she guessed in a strange way it made sense. Insult your crush and make them do the same and maybe then the crush will fade away. Mai asked if that was the reason, and Ian confirmed that it was.

“Partly I guess, we always ragged on each other and I figured continuing to go along with it would let me find his flaws and I’d get over him,” Ian let out a sorrowful chuckle.

“Didn’t work. I think it just made me fall harder,” Ian rolled his eyes at his own stupidity. He knew that at some point he should have told Caddy to stop, that he didn’t want them to continue insulting each other.

“It just makes things hurt more,” Ian muttered. Mai wasn’t even sure that she was supposed to hear him. His eyes were watering, but he refused to let himself cry over this. Not anymore.

“Aw Ian, I’m sorry,” Mai didn’t know that Ian was hurting so much. He had never looked that happy outwardly. She’d seen him smiling when he was with his friends sometimes, and it was obvious that he cared for them, but looking back she wished she had seen it sooner.

“It’s fine. My fault anyway,” Ian sighed sadly.

“No it’s not. You didn’t choose to have a crush on him, and you can always just tell Caddy that you don’t want to do the whole insulting each other thing anymore.”

Before Ian could reply the bell for class went.

“Fuck,” Mai swore under her breath, not in the mood for class when she was still hurting so much. Seeing Hana would be torture right now, especially considering how naïve she could be. How caring she was would also be an issue. Mai knew that she wouldn’t be able to take Hana interrogating her about what was wrong.

It seemed like Ian had read Mai’s thoughts, quickly sending a text to Luke.

“He’s gonna cover for us.” Considering the fact that they never learnt much in class other than their teachers love life he didn’t mind skipping class this one time. He and Mai both obviously needed a break from everything.

“Thanks Ian, you honestly didn’t have to do this for me,” Mai thanked Ian after they had spent the last hour of the school day together. She was incredibly grateful that Ian had spent time with her and they had both opened up to each other. Getting to know Ian she was glad that she could now call him her friend.

“I know what it’s like to feel alone, it’s no big deal,” Ian shrugged and while Mai wanted to argue that it meant the world to her she respected that Ian was more chill about things and she didn’t need to outwardly state how much it meant to her as it would probably make him feel uncomfortable.

“And y’know, if you ever want to hang out more there’s always a seat at our table,” Ian gave Mai a small but genuine smile.

While Mai had never in all her time at Asagao thought she would choose to hang out with the Hidden Block Club over the Normal Boots Club she knew now what the right choice was for her. Ian had treated her better than most members of the Normal Boots club had, and he wasn’t doing it because he had to, it was because he wanted to. He saw her as a normal person instead of Hana’s best friend, or that obsessive girl who was constantly drooling over Jared.

“Sure, I’d like that.” Mai smiled back at Ian feeling better than she had before. While Hana was always going to be her best friend maybe it would be best to distance herself a little for the time being.

“Cool, we have a club meeting now, but I’m sure no one would mind you being there.” Ian almost commented that Luke definitely wouldn’t mind but kept his mouth shut. Now was not the time for matchmaking.

“Are-are you sure?” Mai was taken aback by Ian’s kindness. Maybe it was just the fact that the Normal Boots guys had made Hana jump through so many hoops until she was able to join their club but Mai felt like she might be being tested.

“Yeah, we’ve been looking for a new member anyway.” Again Ian acted like what he was saying wasn’t a big deal, and maybe to him it wasn’t.

Mai accepted his offer and soon found herself becoming great friends with all of the Hidden Block Club but remain closest to Ian. They helped each other when things got tough, and Ian eventually worked up the courage to tell Caddy that he didn’t want their fake rivalry anymore.

“Ian, I’m sorry. I didn’t know I was actually hurting you. I’m sorry.” Caddy had continuously apologised for days. Ian kept telling him that he didn’t need to and eventually Caddy got the hint to stop. It still hurt being around him sometimes but things got better for Ian.

Mai got her club jacket a week after the first meeting she went to. She didn’t have to jump through hoops or prove herself to get it, although everyone was impressed with her skills at both sports and music games, and she finally felt like she belonged somewhere.

With time her crushes faded and she rebuilt her friendship with Hana and the Normal Boots Club began to see her as the person she truly was. Mai was finally happy. Happier than she had ever been at Asagao.

**Author's Note:**

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